Can you tell our learners about yourself and how you discovery yoga?
Jineta: I started practicing yoga in college by watching YouTube videos. At the time, there were no yoga studios around me and nowhere I could regularly practice. I enjoyed watching Tara Stiles’s workout videos and tried learning the different postures through her routines. I began my 200 hour YTT in 2013, but school/work kept me occupied, so I could not finish my training with the New York Sports Club. I finally completed my training through Pure Yoga in NYC.
How many yoga hours do you have completed?
Jineta: I have completed 200 hours of teacher training. In addition, I have completed various workshops like the Yogi Beans Kids Workshop.
Jineta you did a workshop in past with the company Yogi Beans can you tell about them and what you learned in the workshop?
Jineta: I really liked the Yogi Beans workshop! It is a great starting point for anyone interested in teaching kids yoga. Yogi Beans does an excellent job preparing you with enough content and material to teach kids online and in-person.
Can you tell us your experience working with kids as a yoga teacher…
Jineta: I really enjoy working with kids. As a full time middle school English teacher, I love interacting and learning from them. Overall, I want to make a difference and positively influence a child’s way of thinking. Honestly, kids love yoga and it is so much fun teaching them the different poses. I create an adventure out of every class and model my poses based on the weekly adventure.
What have you noticed that kids love about yoga…
Jineta: They really enjoy the fact that each yoga pose is named after an animal. If I am teaching the younger kids, we sometimes make the animal sounds while doing the poses. The poses and breathing exercises are familiar to them because they are named after animals they know, so they can easily comprehend and practice the exercises.
What is your favorite yoga apparel and why?
Jineta: Lululemon has been my favorite yoga apparel and currently still is. I have a few basics that I always get from them and their fabric is so reliable and comfortable.
What is your favorite animal yoga pose and why?
Jineta: Butterfly is my favorite animal yoga pose and lion’s breath is my favorite breathing exercise. The kids really enjoy both because with the lion’s breath we make the sound of the lion and really exaggerate it.
What inspired you to be a yoga instructor?
Jineta: My lifestyle inspired me to be a yoga instructor. I have always lived a healthy lifestyle growing up and was looking for ways to keep growing. Overall, I grew up learning a lot of the yoga philosophy from my parents. Born into a Hindu family, I was aware of the origins, but finally figured out a way to implement it in my daily lifestyle. I truly believe yoga is more than the poses, it is a way of life.
Do you feel that yoga and meditation are closely related? Why or why not?
Jineta: Yes definitely, meditation is just another form of yoga. It helps you become more emotionally and mentally stable which you require to practice the postures. While practicing yoga you want to be present and meditation helps you center your mind and become emotionally calm.
Lastly, where can we learn more about you?
Jineta: You can learn and keep up with my regular practice through my instagram @yogawithjineta
Jineta Raval is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. Her 200 hour teacher training was completed at Pure Yoga in New York City. She teaches kids and adult flow and gentle yoga. She has been teaching yoga since 2017 and practicing since 2010. As a middle school English teacher she enjoys integrating yoga in her curriculum and teaching students the benefits of developing a personal practice. Through her upbringing and experiences, she brings her personal perspective and gives her students the opportunity to learn at their own pace.She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and political science from Rutgers University and received her Masters in Teaching from Rider University. She is currently attaining her Masters in Education Policy and Leadership at American University.Her goal is to help her students find mindfulness in their daily lives and create an authentic practice that brings them happiness and confidence.
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